The nation decides (or at least Woodthorpe and Mapperley)

The ballot box has been opened, the votes counted and the winners announced in the other poll held in Nottingham. Thursday 6 May 2010 was final polling day in the ballot to find the 30 or so ales for the first Bread and Bitter beer festival taking place over the May Bank holiday at the end of the month.

(l-r) The B&B’s John Francis, Jay Lewis, Lauren McKiernan and Anna Moroz-Wilson at the declaration.

The Castle Rock pub on Mapperley Top invited regulars to pick their favourite real ale from the possible 4,000 available from the UK’s 700 or so real ale breweries. And according to deputy manager, John Francis, the poll has brought up some interesting and novel choices. “In among those we expected like Abbeydale’s Moonshine and Pale Rider from Kelham Island, I’m delighted that Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby and Harviestoun’s Schiehallion, the Scottish cask lager are also declared winners.”